1
a
: a showy tuft or process on the head of an animal and especially a bird see bird illustration
b
: the plume or identifying emblem worn on a knight's helmet
also
: the top of a helmet
c(1)
: a heraldic representation of the crest
(2)
: a heraldic device depicted above the escutcheon (see escutcheon sense 1) but not upon a helmet
(3)
d
: a ridge or prominence on a part of an animal body
2
: something suggesting a crest especially in being an upper prominence, edge, or limit: such as
a
: peak
especially
: the top line of a mountain or hill
b
: the ridge of a roof
c
: the top of a wave
3
a
: a high point of an action or process and especially of one that is rhythmic
b
: climax, culmination
at the crest of his fame
crested; cresting; crests
1
: to furnish with a crest
also
: crown
2
: to reach the crest of
crested the hill and looked around
: to rise to a crest
waves cresting in the storm
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Noun
at that point the filmmaker was at the crest of his critical acclaim, which included winning an Oscar for best picture
the hiking party reached the crest of the mountain just as it began to thunder
Verb
We crested the hill and looked out around us.
Recent Examples on the Web
Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2023
Just then came the hellish noise of an engine, and a motorcycle rose over a crest.
—Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 20 Apr. 2023
Climbing oil prices rippled into prices at the pump, sending gas prices to a crest of $4.54 a gallon in metro Atlanta in June — even after the suspension of the gas tax.
—Michael E. Kanell, ajc, 18 Jan. 2023
But on Olympic Valley Road, at the crest of the Sierra Nevada, a slow-moving traffic jam inched forward in thick snow toward Palisades Tahoe, a ski resort near Lake Tahoe where, by 6 a.m., nearly a foot of new snow had fallen.
—Judson Jones, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2023
The color took on a larger role a couple of years ago when the letter W inside the crest was changed from white to black to show solidarity with Black and other underrepresented communities on campus.
—Mark Stewart, Journal Sentinel, 22 Dec. 2022
DePinte said damage was most pronounced in White, Shasta and Red firs on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountain range’s crest, where the climate is drier.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 11 Dec. 2022
In a three-hour span, the Trinity’s crest rose to more than 50 feet, inundating the city, including its nascent downtown.
—Mark Lamster, Reimagining Dealey: We asked a team of leading designers to redesign one of Dallas' most significant spaces, 20 Oct. 2022
Heirloom rings have been around for centuries, and were traditionally engraved with an individual’s initials, monogram or family crest.
—Natalie Alcala, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2023
Merrie Monteagudo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2023
After rapidly overflowing its banks and pouring into homes and businesses along its upper reaches, the Mississippi River has crested in much of the Upper Midwest, easing fears of a record disaster, even though major flooding is forecast to continue in the region through mid-May.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 3 May 2023
The river crested in La Crosse on Wednesday evening at just less than 16 feet.
—Madeline Heim And Brittney J. Miller, Journal Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2023
More:As heavy, wet snow melts, upper Mississippi River floods to near record levels The river has crested down to the Illinois and Iowa border and is expected to peak in the Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Ill., on Tuesday, Wendt said.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2023
This week’s flooding doesn’t compare with the water levels of May 1997, when the river crested at about 23 feet and contributed to $178 million in damage, according to the National Weather Service.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2023
The silt has resulted in much of the wash bed sitting at an even level with the surrounding land, causing floodwater to crest its banks.
—Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 25 Apr. 2023
This wave of the pandemic may crest much faster because of Omicron’s explosive speed of transmission: each person infected with the Omicron variant is spreading it to at least 3 others, according to early data from South Africa, roughly double the rate of the Delta variant earlier this year.
—Scott Nover, Quartz, 19 Dec. 2021
By Monday, the river's uppermost reaches had already crested and were falling relatively quickly, said Jordan Wendt, service hydrologist for the National Weather Service's La Crosse office.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2023
See More
Noun
In that case, the crests and troughs of the laser beam waves will meet in the measuring device in a staggered manner, producing a different intensity.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2023
Just then came the hellish noise of an engine, and a motorcycle rose over a crest.
—Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 20 Apr. 2023
Climbing oil prices rippled into prices at the pump, sending gas prices to a crest of $4.54 a gallon in metro Atlanta in June — even after the suspension of the gas tax.
—Michael E. Kanell, ajc, 18 Jan. 2023
But on Olympic Valley Road, at the crest of the Sierra Nevada, a slow-moving traffic jam inched forward in thick snow toward Palisades Tahoe, a ski resort near Lake Tahoe where, by 6 a.m., nearly a foot of new snow had fallen.
—Judson Jones, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2023
The color took on a larger role a couple of years ago when the letter W inside the crest was changed from white to black to show solidarity with Black and other underrepresented communities on campus.
—Mark Stewart, Journal Sentinel, 22 Dec. 2022
DePinte said damage was most pronounced in White, Shasta and Red firs on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountain range’s crest, where the climate is drier.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 11 Dec. 2022
In a three-hour span, the Trinity’s crest rose to more than 50 feet, inundating the city, including its nascent downtown.
—Mark Lamster, Reimagining Dealey: We asked a team of leading designers to redesign one of Dallas' most significant spaces, 20 Oct. 2022
Heirloom rings have been around for centuries, and were traditionally engraved with an individual’s initials, monogram or family crest.
—Natalie Alcala, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Apr. 2023
Verb
Roofs and windows of buildings were crested with spectators.
—Merrie Monteagudo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2023
After rapidly overflowing its banks and pouring into homes and businesses along its upper reaches, the Mississippi River has crested in much of the Upper Midwest, easing fears of a record disaster, even though major flooding is forecast to continue in the region through mid-May.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 3 May 2023
The river crested in La Crosse on Wednesday evening at just less than 16 feet.
—Madeline Heim And Brittney J. Miller, Journal Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2023
More:As heavy, wet snow melts, upper Mississippi River floods to near record levels The river has crested down to the Illinois and Iowa border and is expected to peak in the Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Ill., on Tuesday, Wendt said.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2023
This week’s flooding doesn’t compare with the water levels of May 1997, when the river crested at about 23 feet and contributed to $178 million in damage, according to the National Weather Service.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2023
The silt has resulted in much of the wash bed sitting at an even level with the surrounding land, causing floodwater to crest its banks.
—Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 25 Apr. 2023
This wave of the pandemic may crest much faster because of Omicron’s explosive speed of transmission: each person infected with the Omicron variant is spreading it to at least 3 others, according to early data from South Africa, roughly double the rate of the Delta variant earlier this year.
—Scott Nover, Quartz, 19 Dec. 2021
By Monday, the river's uppermost reaches had already crested and were falling relatively quickly, said Jordan Wendt, service hydrologist for the National Weather Service's La Crosse office.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English creste, from Anglo-French, from Latin crista; probably akin to Latin crinis hair
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of crest was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing crest
Dictionary Entries Near crest
Cite this Entry
“Crest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crest. Accessed 5 Jun. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
crest
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a showy growth (as of flesh or feathers) on the head of an animal
b
: an emblem or design on a helmet (as of a knight) or over a coat of arms
2
: an upper part, edge, or limit
the crest of a hill
the crest of a wave
crested
adjective
ˈkres-təd
crest
2 of 2 verb1
: to give a crest to
2
: to reach the crest of
crest the hill
3
: to rise to a crest
sea waves cresting
Medical Definition
crest
noun1
: a showy tuft or process on the head of an animal and especially a bird
2
: a process or prominence on a part of an animal body: as
a
: the upper curve or ridge of the neck of a quadruped (as a horse)
also
: the mane borne on such a crest
b
: a ridge especially on a bone
the crest of the tibia
see frontal crest, occipital crest
More from Merriam-Webster on crest
Nglish: Translation of crest for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of crest for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
-
Palter, Dissemble, and Other Words for Lying
Trust us
-
Skunk, Bayou, and Other Words with Native American Origins
You've used more than you might think
-
Words For Things You Didn't Know Have Names, Vol. 2
When 'thingamajig' and 'thingamabob' just won't do
-
When Were Words First Used?
Look up any year to find out
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Name That Tree!
A quiz that’s all bark, no bite.
Take the quiz
-
Name That Thing MegaQuiz: Vol. 5
Test your visual vocabulary!
Take the quiz
-
Name That Thing
You know what it looks like… but what is it cal...
Take the quiz
-
Spelling Bee Quiz
Can you outdo past winners of the National Spelli...
Take the quiz
Share